Mark Cortright

1953Born

EDUCATION

1971-1972Art and Forestry, College of the Redwoods, Eureka, California

1972-1976BA Art, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California

PRIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

1976—Full-time, Studio Potter, Arcata, California

BIOGRAPHY

Mark Cortright creates functional, hand-built or slab-built, porcelain wares. Cortright is interested in creating high quality, durable wares that are meant to be used in domestic settings. His work from the 1970s to early 1980s is either stoneware or porcelain. From the late-1980s on, Cortright’s works are exclusively porcelain, except for some salt fired stoneware or porcelain, that have been produced since 2001. 

Cortright signs all of his works by incising his signature using the dull end of a metal needle tool, usually in the middle of the foot well.

Since 1976, Cortright has worked as a full-time studio potter building over 10 kilns from scratch and selling his works regularly from his pottery, Liscom Hill Pottery Works and at art festivals across the western states. 

The stoneware body is primarily Quyle Kilns, “Sandstone Buff,” and the porcelain is “Dave’s Porcelain,” from the Laguna Clay Company. In 1980 he built a 35 cu. ft. car kiln, still in operation, reduction-firing works to a soft cone 11 using natural gas.